


Valiant

by Mimsys



Series: Inked [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Magical Tattoos, modern magical au, short little thing to establish a verse for a larger fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 12:29:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2693012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimsys/pseuds/Mimsys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's tattoos are magic - literally.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Valiant

Merlin’s tattoos are magical, at least according to Morgana, who was inked with enough to have some opinion on the matter. The pale woman had graceful black birds penned into her skin, ravens that hugged the sharp angles of her wrists and ankles and took flight from her jutting collarbones. They were ominous, severe, but Arthur had to admit they complimented his half-sister. Still, Arthur wasn’t about to get inked by a man he hadn’t met and spoken to himself. And that’s how Arthur found himself outside _the Apothecary_ , a hole in the wall tattoo parlor with bright lights spilled out the open door and onto the street, inviting him in. When he entered the building, there was an elderly man manning the desk, and Arthur approached him with a curious smile. “Mr. Emrys?”

The elderly man looked up, quirking one bushy eyebrow at the businessman. “No, I just handle the paperwork. You’re looking for Merlin; I’ll go get him.” And then he was sliding carefully off of his stool behind the counter and going into the backroom; he returned a moment later with a gangly man who didn’t look to be out of his teens with thick lines of ink swirling around his exposed arms. When he extended a hand to Arthur to shake, the blond thought he could identify the design – a dragon, western in nature, with black flames spilling from past bared teeth. 

“Your work was recommended to me by my half-sister, Morgana; she says your work is magical.” For some reason, that made the dark haired man laugh and Arthur had the sudden feeling that Morgana had set him up as the butt of a joke. “I’ve been looking into a fairly simple tattoo, a sword. Do you have time for me to show you a sketch?”

Merlin – and that was a ridiculous name for a ridiculous man with a too-wide smile who liked as hyper as a young boy left alone in an all-you can eat ice cream bar- nodded eagerly and waved Arthur towards the back room. “Of course, yeah. I’ve always got time for a friend of Morgana; I’m still working on her latest tattoo, the white dragon, but I’ve obviously got practice with dragons.” He turned away from Arthur to grab a sketchpad and revealed a dark red dragon curled up at the base of his neck; it was seemed to eye the client critically as he waited for Merlin’s attention again. When he had it, Arthur held out a handful of sketches done on thick paper, all of which depicting a long, elegant sword with text etched down the blade, for Merlin to see.

“Oh, that’s really good.” Merlin enthused, crossing the distance between them so he could rifle between the designs. They all had the same concept but were done in varying styles, some tradition and done in thick, bold lines, others gentle and delicate with thin lines and branching vines that swirled around the hilt. “What style are you going for? Looks like you were trying them all out.”

Arthur shrugged stiffly, looking down at the sketches critically. “I’m not really sure. They all seem to work, but I’m not sure which one I want to get on my body.”

“Well, there are a couple of things to consider. Where do you want the design? And what do you want it to mean?” He paused, steepling his fingertips, “If if could signify anything to you, what would you?”

Arthur considered for a long moment before replying, earning him an encouraging smile from Merlin. “Well, for placement: I’m thinking of having it along my spine. I know it’ll hurt, but I also think it’ll be worth it, if it turns out well – which I’m sure it will.” He added hastily, not wanting to insult the other. “Swords are generally thought of as weapons, of course, but all weapons can be used to defend, and that’s what’s more important: keeping people safe, protecting those who can’t protect themselves. I’ve spent my whole life behind desks and I’m _tired_ of it. I’ve just joined the Royal Forces, and I want something to inspire me as I go into training.”

“Strength, then.” Merlin mused as he laid out the sketches and began one of his own, “Bravery. Courage.” The concept art was thick, blocking, but the text was jagged, looking almost raw. “Loyalty. Protection, too, to keep you and your allies safe. Yeah, I think I can do that.” He turned the paper around, showing it to the other. “That look okay?”

“Wonderful.” “ Arthur replied easily, “Don’t suppose you can do it now?” And hours later, Arthur had a sword stretching from the base of his neck to the small of his back; along the blade, text read “be valiant knight, and true”.

The tattooing itself wasn’t painful despite the sensitive location and when he peeled off the table to look in the mirror, the spot was red but hardly as sore as it should have been; Gawain and Lance had both gotten numerous tattoos (at other locations) that had made their skin raw and scabbed over for weeks, if not longer. “Morgana was right; you are magical.”

Merlin just smiled as he held the door open for Arthur, “Of course I am. That’s rather the point, isn’t it?”


End file.
